# Change a driving law! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 20, 2022, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942 "2022-09-20T22:56:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/81 "2022-09-21T17:17:12Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I was once charged with having a ton of empty beer bottles on the floor the front passenger seat. My passenger had been drinking for the trip from Baltimore to Newark. The charges were thrown out, but only because the infraction required “driving” and the cop never saw me in motion. However, I think the empty bottles were otherwise sufficient to prove a violation. In the 80s, my brother and a buddy got pulled over. Bunch of empty cans in the back seat. Cop basically said “I’m giving you a speeding ticket, but I’m not arresting for open container because at least you aren’t littering.” ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/82 "2022-09-21T17:19:21Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > In the 80s, my brother and a buddy got pulled over. Bunch of empty cans in the back seat. Cop basically said “I’m giving you a speeding ticket, but I’m not arresting for open container because at least you aren’t littering.” I’m embarrassed to confess that the only time I was a litterer was when driving around drinking beer in high school. The reason was to get rid of the evidence, but it was stupid (on many levels) ---
**Author:** ![tofor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tofor/32/13727_2.png) [@tofor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofor)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/83 "2022-09-21T17:31:11Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Has it lead to a better network of footpaths compared to other states? I don’t think so. “Right to walk on” is not the same as “right to make a path on”. There are plenty of walking trails, but not typically on private land. We do have a bunch of Rail Trails and Class V Roads though. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/84 "2022-09-21T17:38:56Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > Any car whose alarm goes off becomes fair game for eggs, rocks, bricks, etc. I knew someone in high school who had an alarm with a proximity sensor of some kind. It would loudly say “Stand Back! Protected by Viper!” if you got within 6 or 8 feet of the car. It lasted about 3 days before the school made him turn it off. This 30 second ad from 1992 doesn’t properly recreate how loud it was: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JhpxaVsmMYM/hqdefault.jpg "Protected by Viper 1992") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhpxaVsmMYM) ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/85 "2022-09-21T17:53:34Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > I knew someone in high school who had an alarm with a proximity sensor of some kind. It would loudly say “Stand Back! Protected by Viper!” if you got within 6 or 8 feet of the car. Those should be flat-out illegal. It’s not against the law to stand next to someone’s car, for fuck’s sake. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/86 "2022-09-21T18:16:56Z")
Colorado just passed a law allowing cyclists to treat stop signs like a yield sign and to treat traffic lights like a stop sign. [https://www.bicyclecolorado.org/bike-news/colorado-safety-stop-becomes-law/](https://www.bicyclecolorado.org/bike-news/colorado-safety-stop-becomes-law/) Makes sense to me, more power to the Lycra clad elitists lol. That’s what bike haters call ‘em. ---
**Author:** ![Bonum\_Legatum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bonum_legatum/32/6183_2.png) [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/87 "2022-09-21T18:34:36Z")
Any license plate that has a “year sticker”: The position for the sticker shall be in the center of the plate. No exceptions. (Same law for those return-mail envelopes with the window. And the piece of paper you stuff into the envelope must display the correct address no matter how it is inserted.) ---
**Author:** ![Bonum\_Legatum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bonum_legatum/32/6183_2.png) [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/88 "2022-09-21T18:38:46Z")
Just about every car-related rant from the Magliozzi brothers, and I’ll post an example: [https://www.cartalk.com/content/rant-and-rave-57](https://www.cartalk.com/content/rant-and-rave-57) ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/89 "2022-09-21T18:43:30Z")
Whoops, forgot to address the OP. I’d try to find better ways to enforce laws against weaving, speeding, tailgating and other things idiots do while ‘driving for sport’ in public. For example, I posted this in the Most Interesting Car thread a few weeks ago. > The most interesting vehicle I was today was a motorcycle whose owner is going to get himself killed. He was doing wheelies and very aggressive ones at that, leaning way back from center. Then, he did some wheelie … dancing? … where he’d cross his legs back and forth, then jump on the seat. Throw in some unnecessary swerving before running two red lights in a row. We got into an area with a lot more traffic and he again swerved, this time into oncoming lanes to pass some cars. When I last saw him, he was lane splitting which isn’t legal here. > [@Horatius](#): > > Those should be flat-out illegal. Maybe there are. I haven’t heard an alarm like that since the 90s. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/90 "2022-09-21T19:06:31Z")
Add a roundabout test to getting a drivers license. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/91 "2022-09-21T19:14:12Z")
Avatar checks out. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/92 "2022-09-21T19:29:04Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > > [@jnglmassiv](#): > > > > I knew someone in high school who had an alarm with a proximity sensor of some kind. It would loudly say “Stand Back! Protected by Viper!” if you got within 6 or 8 feet of the car. > > Those should be flat-out illegal. It’s not against the law to stand next to someone’s car, for fuck’s sake. I think all car alarms should be illegal. At least, any car alarm that might be set off by proximity, by a truck rumbling by, or by a careless “Braille” parker nudging it. I don’t think the ones that only go off when you force the door open or break a window do any good, but i suppose they aren’t obnoxious enough to actually ban them. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/93 "2022-09-21T20:04:44Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Prohibit noisy motorcycles (and cars). Amen. > [@jnglmassiv](#): > > I knew someone in high school who had an alarm with a proximity sensor of some kind. It would loudly say “Stand Back! Protected by Viper!” if you got within 6 or 8 feet of the car. It lasted about 3 days before the school made him turn it off. I remember hearing a story ages ago about some people “teasing” a car with that proximity sensor. Eventually, the sensor gave up. I’d make illegal to make a left turn if your turn indicator wasn’t turned on at least 5 seconds before you get to the intersection. Just happened yesterday. Made a right turn into a very short street with a traffic light. Pulled into the left lane behind a car already there who did not have their indicator on. Once the light changed to green, _then_ they turned their left turn indicator on. $1000 fine! ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/94 "2022-09-21T20:18:40Z")
> [@Bootb](#): > > All bicyclists who run stop signs or red lights will face a mandatory 60-day jail sentence. Whereas I would introduce the [Idaho Stop](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_stop) nation-wide. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/95 "2022-09-21T21:18:22Z")
Never read it or saw the movie. And, I must admit, overall it is not a great idea. But it would be fun for the first week or so. ---
**Author:** ![RadioWave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/91b2a8/32.png) [@RadioWave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadioWave)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/96 "2022-09-21T21:37:45Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > I’d make illegal to make a left turn if your turn indicator wasn’t turned on at least 5 seconds before you get to the intersection. Just happened yesterday. Made a right turn into a very short street with a traffic light. Pulled into the left lane behind a car already there who did not have their indicator on. Once the light changed to green, _then_ they turned their left turn indicator on. $1000 fine! On the other hand, if your signal is on for over two minutes, your car shall instantly turn 90 degrees in that direction. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/97 "2022-09-21T22:02:45Z")
Only one(1) law? Hm! That doesn’t seem like enough! Ok, well then, all private driving priviliges are revoked. If your job mandates driving, bus driver, taxi driver, delivery van driver, etc, you must have a minimum Class B CDL (ride sharing is considered private driving, uber and lift et al are right out). No privately owned vehicles, your employer must provide you with the appropriate auto for your job. Penalty for violation(except for traumatic medical emergency) is automatic forfeiture of personal freedom for 10 years. yes it is draconian in nature and yes I feel it is justifiable and yes I would be screwed for my commute to work every gawd-awful-3am-early day ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/98 "2022-09-21T22:03:56Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I mean, isn’t that already illegal? Not that I’ve seen. The left turn arrow turns green at the same time the walk sign does. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/99 "2022-09-21T22:13:12Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Not that I’ve seen. The left turn arrow turns green at the same time the walk sign does. Can’t say I’ve ever seen that. Are you sure they aren’t just taking a turn on an unprotected left? What state are you in? ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942/100 "2022-09-21T22:15:36Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > The combination of the first two would be quite unworkable on a two-lane-in-each-direction road, especially in the U.K. which prohibits passing in the slow lane. Agreed for the U.K. but I was only considering U.S. drivers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-a-driving-law/971942.md?page=6)